WITH THE AUSTRALIANS.

Taihape Daily Times, 15 August 1918, Page 6

WITH THE AUSTRALIANS.

o ENEMY IN A WHEAT FIELD, DUGOUTS TAKEN BY SURPRISE LONDON, August 6. One of the recent little fights by Australian patrols, of which details have only recntly been learned, is the following:—

An officer, a sergeant, and two men went out in the middle of the morning from an Australian post in the midst of a wheat field in order to investigate ' a neighbouring field 200 yards away, in which they knew Germans were posted; In one corner of this field was a house. They dropped one one man on the way in a position where he could cover them. The other three went on and found a hedge on one side of the field free of Germans. They searched the house, but no Germlans were there. They knew that Germans must be posted in other parts of the field, so they took a careful look, and spotted one dugout full of Germans, .who had not seen them.

They crept up from the side and covered these Germans with their revolvers, and the inmates surrendered. They went, on similarly to two other dug-outs, and quietly captured the inhabitants.

By this time they had so many prisoners that a sergeant had to be sent back with them. He sent up the other man, so that the officer still had' two men with him*

They went on as before, and captured two more dug-outs, but when they reached the other end of the field some Germans in the dug-outs, there showed fight, and the Australians had to fire several revolver shots.

inmates of the remaining dug-outs, so they instantly threw bombs into the German positions, and took up a position where they could prevent the Germans Tunning away. The Germans knew that further bombs were ready, and that any resistance would mean a further shower. They all surrendered. The patrol came in with prisoners, having captured 36 altogether. That same day at least a dozen similar incidents occurred along the front of the Ist Australian Division. The troops who carried out these enterprises are not storm troops, nor any

way specially: trained, ‘but just ordinary Australian iniantry. I In the south yosconémy the Germans raided the Australians after a. heavy barrage. The mid consi<§'€'ed of three parties, with 50 in each. Some of these were kiled, but they managed to get into the Australian post near Domart and captured a few wounded Australians. '